Czechoslovakia's split up was the result of growing deep-rooted Slovak nationalism following the collapse of the Soviet bloc.
Slovak nationalism was fuelled by economic difficulties arising from the loss of its principle source of industrial production, the Soviet market.
Slovak politicians claimed the federal government didn't have the republic's economic interests at heart.
Elections, in which Havel failed to be reelected president, brought to power Czech Prime Minister Klaus and Slovak Prime Minister Meciar.
The two agreed to form an interim federal government, equally Czech and Slovak, to oversee the dissolution of Czechoslovakia and an orderly transition of federal powers to both Czech and Slovak national parliaments.
In November 1992, the Czechoslovakian assembly passed a law authorizing the constitutional dissolution of the federal state.
This ensured the legal break-up of the federation, and the passing of legislative powers to the Czech and Slovak republics.
One year later, Slovakia's economy remains deeply in recession, with inflation over 25% and unemployment on the rise.
Political infighting threatens the government and there is growing disillusionment with their confrontational prime minister.
Slovakia's heavy industries were uneconomically geared to the Soviet market and it has yet to recover.
Slovakia's rough start was made worse by a collapse in bilateral trade with the Czechs.
There is hope that future links with Vienna will prove fruitful.
The Czech Republic, having been more industrialized, needs to restructure and develop its infrastructure, but is now free to pursue its own accelerated drive toward a free market society.
